Why Guild Wars 2 Is Worth Playing In 2017

Guild Wars 2 is turning five years old in a few months time. Back in 2012 when the game was released, it was hailed as probably the best MMORPG in modern times.

Guild Wars 2 solved many issues that other MMOs struggles with. They made grinding a thing of the past and made world events organic and epic. Most importantly, it found a great balance in PVE storytelling with a balanced PVP offering. For it’s time, it was heralded as the quintessential MMORPG.

But how does the game hold up in 2017? Is it still worth playing if you have not tried it yet? I have been playing consistently this year and here are my thoughts.

Gameplay That Still Rocks

Guild Wars 2 ages like fine wine. For all the new MMOs that have been released since, every time I return to Guild Wars 2 I feel comfort. Because the combat system is by par one of the best systems to play in the genre. Combat is fast and fluid, giving players skills via equippable weapons as early as possible. By level 25 or so, you have all the skills you need to test rotations for later content. Some might argue this becomes repetitive, but I find it refreshing in contrast to having skills level gated.

And then there’s the huge amount of world events that happen organically. When you chance upon them, it feels coherent to the zone story that you were doing prior. It still amazes me how players flock in from all over to take down a huge boss, or form an XP train to wipe out as many events as possible. It’s still a viable way to level and let’s not forget that while GW2 didn’t event the world event, it undoubtedly perfected it.

The Living Story Continues To Live On

One of the best parts of the game is following the main stories. Players pursue their personal stories as a means to flesh out the base game’s plot, and while there was much to be desired, it got better over the years. The Heart of Thorns expansion that come out 2 years ago addressed a lot of issues folks had about the base game’s storytelling. The expansion brought more realistic in-game cut-scenes, and added a new villain in a new zone that further heightened the sense of urgency that was absent from the vanilla. Furthermore, the expansion is now permanently discounted at $30, so players can experience this at a pretty reasonable price.

The Living World Stories is also going strong, and the team are dedicated to producing more episodes. As long as players log in when an episode is active, they automatically unlocks it for their account. It’s a great way to reward loyal players, and need I say that the stories are actually good? No, you know that already.

New Expansion Coming

On top of keeping the flames going with events (including bringing back the Super Adventure Box this year), ArenaNet aren’t slowing down. This month it’s been confirmed that a new expansion is in the works, bringing a new elite specialization for players. It once again raises the hype and will probably bring back old players. For new players though, the expansion is a coming incentive and they should check out the base game. They will find so many things that feels refreshing especially when coming from other MMORPGS. The way Guild Wars 2 handles player convenience is top notch, and the community has been nothing but stellar. So is Guild Wars 2 worth playing in 2017? Definitely. Get on the train if you haven’t done so already.